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Human Rights Hotline Records 92 Cases
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Chişinău, Moldova, 29 September 2009-Recently, police in Moldova arrested a young man. According to the youth, after interrogation without a lawyer or other advocate present, police then beat him until he was unconscious. The youth said he awoke the next day in the street with a fractured rib. His mother said she sought answers from the police but was instead fined 200 lei “for not keeping any eye on her son.” Unlike in the past in Moldova, however, the story does not end there. Thanks to a new telephone hotline, the mother was able to ask for help. Launched in July of this year by the European Union and United Nations Development Programme, the hotline allows victims or witnesses of human rights abuse to call anonymously and receive free legal advice. In its first two months of operation, the hotline has registered 92 cases. The cases include allegations of infringement on the rights of children, lack of access to health care, lack of access to justice, lack of information, inequitable court cases and mistreatment of disabled persons and pensioners. There have also been three reports of physical abuse during detention. All calls are registered by specialists and the National Preventive Mechanism-Consultative Consul (an independent group within the Centre for Human Rights) examines complaints, intervenes when necessary and informs authorities about torture cases. In the most severe incidents, such as the youth allegedly beaten by police, an ombudsman refers to the case to prosecutors. In the case of the youth, after the mother’s call the ombudsman gathered documentary evidence and asked prosecutors to initiate a penal case against those responsible. Similarly, all Moldovans are encouraged to call the hotline, known as the “green line” or “linia verde,” for claims of torture, cruel, degrading or inhuman treatment, or punishment. Such human rights issues have been an ongoing concern in Moldova. The United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on Torture concluded in July 2008 that abuse by police during custody was common. According to the Rapporteur, the abuse included severe beatings, electrocution, and asphyxiation, all used as a mean to gain confessions. The Rapporteur also found that many mechanisms for complaints against abuse were ineffective. And in April 2009, police detained hundreds of protesters during contentious national elections. According to Amnesty International, a human rights watchdog group, hundreds of those detained by police were beaten into signing confessions. As a result, the EU and UNDP launched the telephone hotline as part of its Torture Prevention Project. The project aims to contribute to information and the examination and prevention of torture cases, thus ensuring a better protection of human rights in Moldova. The “green line” can be reached by dialing the number 0-8001-2222 from 8 a.m. to 20 p.m.
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